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Editor’s Note: Trader interest in “gassy” stocks started in the U.S. and quickly spread to Canada (despite only a $0.01 per MBtu increase in the price of natural gas to $2.47). The “gassy” U.S. ETF gained $7.62% and broke above resistance at $7.00 on significantly higher volume

Nice breakout by $MCD above $100.99 to an all-time high. ‘Tis the season for strength until the end of November!

Nice breakout by $DD above $52.24 on senior management change. ‘Tis the season for strength until early January!

Traders often tell me that they are obsessed with spending all of their available time on trading. While it is important to gain knowledge and experience, consider how that time is being spent. Here are some of the questions you should be asking yourself about your use of time and how effective you are in getting the best trading results:

· Are you achieving the predetermined goals that you have written down in your trader’s business plan?

First of all you must have a plan. Within that plan have specific goals and revisit those goals often so that you know that you are on the right track. Always ask yourself when you are reviewing your plan, how you can improve it.

· Are you challenging yourself with deadlines and are you sticking to those deadlines?

When you challenge yourself with a deadline and attach a reward to its completion, you will find ways to complete it in the shortest amount of time.

· Are you seeing the results that you expected?

If you are not, then you must determine if you were overly optimistic, re-evaluate or overcome the obstacles in the way of your expectations.

· Do you allow the rest of your obligations in life to interfere with the completion of your goals?

You will have to let go of those obligations, delegate them to someone else, or realize that you will not be able to reach your goals in the expected time frame. Make sure that you are the one in charge of how you plan and utilize your time.

· How can you become more efficient and effective in your use of time?

When you gain more knowledge and experience, it is important to revisit your trading plan and tweak it to your new level of competency. It is easy to get comfortable with the habits and conditioning that you have created for yourself. Make sure that you are getting the optimal amount of results from the behaviors you have chosen for yourself.

Remember to ask yourself questions about how you can increase your performance and your profits.

Taking action to improve your trading

· What would it take to be more effective with your time and how do you plan to overcome obstacles that are holding you back?

· Who could you network with to make your time more effective?

· Who could you hire?

· What classes, teachers, mentors and/or books would help you to improve?

Learning from the person who taught you to be a trader

Stanley knew he wanted to be a trader because all of his life he watched his father, Ralph, who was a trader. He also knew he did not want to be like his father spending every waking moment looking at the screen.

Stanley, who was also a student of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, also known as the science of modeling, knew the right questions to ask:

· What books influenced you the most?

· Who were your best teachers and what lessons did they teach you?

· What mistakes have you made over the years?

· If you were to learn to be a trader all over again, how would you do it differently?

· How would you advise me to be more profitable than you?

· What can I do to work a shorter day and be more profitable?

By teaching Stanley, Ralph started to question himself and discovered that he could work less hours and earn more profit. Stanley has also become a profitable trader.

Conclusion

How you spend or save your time can make the difference in how successful you are in your trading career. Notice how you use your time and decide to make that time more precious by using it more effectively.

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Disclaimer:Seasonality and technical ratings offered in this report by www.timingthemarket.ca and www.equityclock.com are for information only. They should not be considered as advice to purchase or to sell mentioned securities. Data offered in this report is believed to be accurate, but is not guaranteed.